Monsters and Maidens
---- Komodo sat at a table, devouring all the food on his table. It was putrid, raw, indescribable in origin, yet he devoured it just the same. He was new to Abyss Fang, that was true, but his reputation spoke for itself. Everyone stayed clear of him. He lifted his head for his meal only when it was finished. He saw a delectable piece of new flesh. He licked his lips when he saw Mia. Mia Nayavinsky was unlike any other member of Abyss Fang, chained not by loyalty, but by her own aimlessness. Despite the mark she bore, most did not consider her a true member. She was treated more like Nero's possession. She felt eyes on her, maintaining a neutral expression while tilting her head slightly from her position in the hall to glance across the room out of the corner of her eyes. She knew instantly who was watching her. The lizard flicked his tongue at her, almost flirtatiously, not even hiding the fact that he was staring at her. He motioned for her to come over to her. Getting her to come willingly would make it easier, not that he was against taking someone to him by force. Mia turned away, her body tensing. That type of look was a threat. Her mouth felt sour and she hated the fact that her first thought was of Nero's absence. Without his law, the barrier that separated her and the monsters disappeared. Komodo got to his feet, as he stood his body becoming invisible, although Mia wouldn't see that with her back facing him. He snuck up right behind her. His tongue flicked right next to her ear. "Hi." And at that he immediately jumped upwards to cling to the ceiling, a laugh reverberating throughout the corridor. Her body involuntarily shuddered at the hot breath on her skin. The sensation vanished and her head shot upward at the sound. She couldn't see him, though she felt his eyes on her, lustrous and predatory. Mia grit her teeth and spun away from the main hall and down the corridor. Maybe he'd quit tailing her if she went to her room. The gaze of the lizard still never left her. He climbed on the ceiling, following her the entire time. Before she could close the door to her room, he snuck in. A small thud could be heard from behind her, the reptilian eyes becoming the first part of him that was visible before the rest of him was. "I don't like being ignored." He began to take steps towards her, his hand resting on the hilt of the sword by his side. Mia sneered, a reaction reminiscent of a cat raising its hackles at an imminent threat. "Don't you know it's rude to intrude on one's space?" Komodo laughed at the remark. "You act as though you think I care about manners. Didn't you see me eat?" He took a step towards her. "Why would I," She said flatly, "You're of no interest to me." "Oof!" exclaimed Komodo, "although I would've thought you would've been less rude." He took another step. At this point, he couldn't contain his bloodlust. His magic power began leaking out, the aura that caused great fear appeared around him. "Get out now." Her words were confident and cool, a vague trace of menacing anger behind them. Her body continued to tighten like a coiling spring, ready to snap. A large, toothy grin came onto his face. "You think that you have power over me? That's adorable. You try to act tough, but I can smell the fear on you." He was right in front of her at this point. "And it smells delicious." He stuck out his tongue, dragging it across her cheek. Mia's arm shot out, her nails digging into his neck. She lifted him up to where his feet barely touched the ground. "Haven't you heard? I'm a sociopath. I don't have feelings and it won't keep me up at night if I slit your throat." "Ooooh!" moaned Komodo. "Tell me more!" Komodo gripped her arm, applying crushing force. "That kind of stuff turns me on!" The winding pattern of the Bind Snake appeared at the point of contact, wrapping around her body and impeding her movements. "Let's see if you can get out of that real quick." Mia's body froze, the muscles in her arm loosening at the spell. "When did you—" She grit her teeth as the bind snake ran over her skin and her body crumpled beneath her. "It's very simple really," said Komodo, crouching next to her paralyzed form, "I snuck it on you when I licked your cheek earlier. Now, I don't ordinarily like to use this to catch my meals, but it's excellent for gauging how strong they are. If you can get out of this, we'll have a fight on our hands, but if you can't..." he leaned in real close and whispered in her ear, "I'll eat you right now." He licked her again, this time his serpentine tongue briefly entered her ear canal. "I've gotta say, just from the licks, you taste scrumptious. I can't wait to sink my teeth into you." Mia could feel the bile rising in her throat. The drum of her heartbeat roaring in her ears. The shallowness of her breath as invisible weight pressed down on here. She supposed this was what you would call fear. She rolled her hands, testing the extent of her movement as her magic flared against it. Komodo jumped backward, not wanting to be hit by the sudden flaring up of Mia's magic, but quickly realized his caution was unwarranted. He quickly walked up to her again, grabbing her arm. "Perhaps you just need a little bit of motivation." A claw appeared on his hand. Placing the tip on the back of her forearm, he dragged it along her body. Blood crept out of her body from the cut. "Yay!" he called, like a giddy schoolgirl. He dragged his tongue along the wound, lapping up the blood as it oozed from her body. "I can get drunk off this stuff." He was in utter delight, playing with his meal. Mia winced, hissing as the claw dug into her skin. She bit her lip to stifle a whimper of pain. She tried against the bind again, this time sucking a breath in, feeling her magic power buzz through her body before a wave of shadow burst from her, shattering the binds. A ribbon shot out from its position near the wall, where it had been tied around a ring. Three other ribbons shot out from the corner of her room, wrapping tightly and tightening around his ankles and wrists. Mia slowly rose to her feet, touching her hand to her injured forearm as ribbon rewrapped itself tightly to staunch the bleeding. She smiled, though the gesture was anything but happy. Her lower lip was beading with blood and there was a dangerous void of emotion behind her eyes. "Sory, I'm afraid Father has taught me to be fairly paranoid about my living space. Although it seems like it came in handy." Komodo tried pulling his arm free, but the ribbons didn't budge. He seemed unenthused by the ribbons but smiled when his eyes came to Mia once again. "That void of emotions in your ears, it's so beautiful." His magical aura flared to life, a green stench filling the room which caused all beneath him to feel fear. "I can't wait to see that look contorted with fear!" Reptilian scales covered him from head to toe. With a strong movement of his arms, he shredded the ribbons restraining his arms. With his claws, he shredded the ones restraining his ankles. He bolted straight towards her, in an instant he was upon her. He reached out, his clawed fingers aimed to dig into his quarry's throat, though not enough to kill, enough to cause pain if she tried to move, lifting into the air as he did so. Blood trickled down her neck and onto Komodo's hand. He licked his lips again. "God damn, just looking at you, my stomach's rumbling." Mia let out a strangled scream as his hand tightened around her throat. The pressure was suffocating and she wheezed for breath. her head was swimming and tears began to form in her eyes. That was when it hit her. A realization that this was a threat that she was unequipped to deal with. Someone undeniably stronger than her and she had no way out after using her magic in such a violent manner. "Please." She mumbled it like a prayer. "Please?" said Komodo quizzically. His eyes then widened as his mouth contorted into a toothy grin. "Please!" He had done it. He had broken her. "I suppose I should get started eating now." He quickly removed the scarf covering his mouth, revealing a row of razor-sharp teeth. He used his free hand, grabbing her by her left hand's wrist, bringing it to his mouth. At first he just nibbled on her pinky a little, but the blood seeping into his mouth was too intoxicating. He bit down, and it came right off. He swallowed without a second thought. Mia felt as her finger disappeared, the bone horribly crunching under the force of his bite. Her scream was ragged and her body spasmed and quaked in his grasp. She reached out with her left hand, clawing at his face and thrashing to get out of his grip even as his grip around her neck grew tighter and she could feel conciousness drifting. Komodo was in utter ecstasy. "Adrenaline is the best kind of seasoning. I always make sure that survival instinct kicks in at the last second, just when it doesn't matter anymore!" Komodo dropped her onto the floor, blood still pouring from her wound. "Don't worry, I won't kill you. Well, I will, but you'll at least have a few moments in agony to get the chance for someone to come save you! Oh who am I kidding? You're an overprivileged brat who no one likes. No one will come and save you!" He laid down right above her, his breath could be felt upon her skin. He licked the blood that had collected on her neck. "I think I'll take a bite out of your leg next." As Komodo said his last sentence a hand reached out and roughly gripped the lizard man by his shoulder. "No one's gonna save her huh?" Said an angered voice that could only belong the Idris Himura. As he spoke he yanked the lizard off of Mia and pushed him across the room as flames ignited in his hands. "You might want to rethink that. Lest we have to find out what burnt gecko smells like." Komodo shook his head, slightly daze from the sudden appearance of the Mage. "Strange, should've smelled you. Doesn't matter though. I'll just eat both of you. No one comes between a Dragon and its prey!" Komodo went in a mad sprint towards Idris, just as fast as he was when he attacked Mia. With his claws, he aimed a swipe of his claws at Idris' chest. Idris shook his head at the attack and merely stepped back, effectively dodging the strike as it came before he surrounded his hands in super hot flames. "1st Spell: Agni." He said calmly as he threw his right hand out and sent a burst of flames at Komodo. "I'd suggest not comparing yourself to a dragon. Lest you want to become extinct like them." The attack didn't deter Komodo in the slightest. He ran through the flames, his crazed look still etched on his face. He aimed a bone-crushing punch to Idris' jaw. "You talk big for someone who's flames don't do jack! I felt far worse during the Bellona Alliance War! Come on jackass! Make me feel something!" Idris ducked the punch and slammed a palm into Komodo's stomach. "You want something. You got it. 7th Spell: Kojin." He said as he created a magic circle just off center of his opponent so that the blast wouldn't kill him. From the magic circle shot a large blast of flames that were hot enough to melt metal. However Idris decreased the heat level of the flames just enough so that Komodo wouldn't die. But he would certainly feel the pain of the attack if he didn't dodge. Komodo smiled as the flames exploded onto him. Much of his clothes were singed off, soot appeared all over his body, and he flew backwards into the wall. It cracked behind him. He seemed dazed, but was still very much standing. "That... felt... amazing!" He said it with arousal dripping from every word. If one paid close enough attention, a wet spot could be seen on his pants. "I have to go. You can keep your broken girl. I'll go find someone else to sink my teeth into." And without another word he opened the door to Mia's room and left. Idris sighed as he let his magical energy calm down. He hadn't intended to use such a high level spell but knew he would need something to quell the beast he was facing. "Wish I could have used my 9th spell....might have been more fun." As he spoke he looked back over at Mia and paled. She looked horrible, with blood leaking from her neck and arm, as well as a missing finger on her left hand. He quickly picked her up and rushed her out of the room. When he reached the guild's infirmary, he kicked the door open. "Tamotsu! Help!" He shouted, prompting one of the doors in the back corner of the infirmary to fly open with a pissed Tamotsu about to yell at Idris before seeing Mia. "The hell happened to her? Nevermind, get her to a bed." He said as he pointed to one of the purple leather colored beds. Idris not wanting to argue with the man, put the young girl on the bed, after which Tamotsu channeled his Arc of Gaea magic and let his hand hover of her wounds, beginning to heal the injuries. Mia's eyes shine with staunch tears, shuddering as she was healed. Flesh weaved itself back together. Veins closed. Her skin itched with the phantom pain of inflicted wounds. It felt like she was reliving the pain in reverse. A flash of agony then gone. She heaved, trying to steady her breathing. Her finger was gone. She wouldn't get it back. "Sorry bout your finger's. My magic can only heal wounds. I haven't mastered the magic yet so I can't regenerate body parts." Said Tamotsu in his cold voice as he looked at Idris and noted the smoke coming off of his hands. "I wandered what that explosion was. I just figured Nero just finally killed you." He said as he walked over to a desk in the back of the room and took a seat. He was about to pick up a book when he felt a burst if dark magic at the doorway. Both he and Idris jumped back, with the former almost falling out of his chair as they saw Nero standing there. "Well don't speak to soon now Tamotsu." Said the man in a dark tone as a black aura radiated off of him. "Do you want to explain to me Idris. Why my daughter is sitting in the hospital bed." "She was attacked by Komodo. I helped her before he could kill her." Responded the fire mage as he watched Nero intently. "And she couldn't defend herself?" He asked as he glared at his adopted daughter.￼ Mia winched. "He was stronger than me. He overpowered me." She admitted. Shame burned in her bloodstream, a heavy pit settling in her stomach under the Nero's knife-like gaze. Nero's magical energy burst as he was about to shout at Mia. That was until Idris stepped between them and his body erupted in a bright red aura that matched Nero's in size and power. The act of defiance by the fire mage shocked both Nero and Tamotsu. Both of whom stared at the mage in shock. "She did fine. She defended herself to the best of her abilities. She's young and still needs training." Was all he said as he watched the guild master not even wavering when the latter regained his composure. "Well. This is a surprise Idris. I never thought I'd see the day you would stand up to me." He looked at Mia, the girl who he felt was his daughter and, after a final glare returned his gaze to Idris. "Fine. You keep training her then. Make her strong. And if this happens again. I promise you I won't be as lenient with you." He said as he let his magic die down and exited the room.￼ Mia tipped her head downward as the weight of Nero's wrath edited with him. "You didn't have to do that and I don't need training." Idris himself hadn't calmed down from the events that had just happened, and responded simply. "I know." He then walked out of the room, leaving Mia with a still stunned Tamotsu who had almost nothing to say. "Well that was interesting. I've never seen Idris or Nero act like that before. I'm surprised Nero didn't vaporize him on the spot." Mia glared at Tamotsu. She swung her legs over the bed and got to her feet, ignoring the residual aches of pain. "Thank you for healing me. I'm going to go clean the blood off my floor." Mia didn't wait for his response and stalked off into the hallway.